CAI's

[withac]

I hate to be redundant 'cause I know there have been questions before about CAI's but usually just one or two brands, some of these I've never heard of. When I bought the 'Ho in December I could find a K&N FIPK II for $230, now it's hard to find one for under $290, I guess the higher gas prices have driven up demand. In looking online there are several brands starting at $80 on up. Know anything about Kool-Vue, Pacesetter, Green, AFE, S&B, Street Performance, True Flow, AEM?

I'm already familiar with the AirRaids and K&N's.

 

[boostaholic]

I've been selling the aems for $260 shipped, same one I have on my truck but I painted my tube black

 

[bigggbrutis]

Any real pro's or con's versus the K&N or others?

 

[withac]

I've been selling the aems for $260 shipped, same one I have on my truck but I painted my tube black

The black tube looks nice. I'm not in the market right at the minute, I just like to check things out in advance, sometimes way in advance.

Thanks Boost.

 

[withac]

Any real pro's or con's versus the K&N or others?

I had an AirRaid on my 2000 Durango 5.9. Gave me a 2 mpg increase and a slight improvement in throttle response. In looking at the AirRaids for my 'Ho their intake tube looks like it flattens out like the stock unit so I wonder if it restricts the air flow more than some of the others. The K&N looked like a good unit when I first looked last December but they've gone up $60 since then.

 

[boostaholic]

Hit me up if you can't find it for cheap, I'll whore one out to ya. The top picture was taken a day after I bought my truck, I wasted no time modding lol.

 

[withac]

I guess some brands run a dry filter as opposed to the oiled filters like K&N and AirRaid. The cleaning and oiling process never bothered me so is it just about convienience or do the dry ones work as well?

 

[withac]

Hit me up if you can't find it for cheap, I'll whore one out to ya. The top picture was taken a day after I bought my truck, I wasted no time modding lol.

Thanks man, I preeshiate it. Like I said, it may not be in the immediate future. I realize it's an inexpensive mod but I've got a daughter starting college in three weeks. If I drop any coin on the 'Ho right now I'll end up sleeping in it.

 

[boostaholic]

Dry is fantastic, I'm a huge nerd when it comes to this stuff (3rd year Mechanical Engineering student) and I absolutely love the aem dry filters. Usually takes me 10 minutes to clean and I stick it out in the sun for an hour or so to dry. I sell the k&n, volant, s&b, etc and I went with the AEM no question. Don't by a throttle body spacer for these trucks either, they're junk on these trucks.

 

[withac]

Dry is fantastic, I'm a huge nerd when it comes to this stuff (3rd year Mechanical Engineering student) and I absolutely love the aem dry filters. Usually takes me 10 minutes to clean and I stick it out in the sun for an hour or so to dry. I sell the k&n, volant, s&b, etc and I went with the AEM no question. Don't by a throttle body spacer for these trucks either, they're junk on these trucks.

My main goal in looking at these is increase mpg, did you notice any difference with the AEM?

 

[withac]

I'v also heard the metal tubes can heat up more than the others and transfer some of that heat to the incoming air. What are your thoughts on that?

 

[withac]

I got another ? Does AEM make any kind of water resistant cover for their filters? In looking at the filter placement in the 'Ho, it looks like there is a narow flap that runs up the side of the radiator. There is also a rigid plastic plate behind the headlight assembly. If these were removed, with the heat shield for the filter in place, it looks to me like the air would have a straight shot in at the filter so it could breath easier, get fresher/cooler air, and maybe even something of a ram air affect at highway speeds. Problem is, if you were driving in the rain I think it would also come in directly to the filter.

 

[boostaholic]

To answer the first question no the metal tubes don't have any real effect on the temperature of the incoming air. I have never encountered a situation where the air could heat up due to the tube temp, the air is moving into the engine at such a high cfm that the enthalpy of the system will not be effected by the surface temperature of the intake tube. I wouldn't recommend one of those condom things for an aem, better to leave the system as is for maximum benefit. There is a reason the kit is one of the most efficient systems for these trucks. The amount of effort involved for a ram air kit would be hindsight compared to the issues you may have with the filter being exposed to road grime, just leave the kit as it is and drive the hell out of it.

 

[withac]

To answer the first question no the metal tubes don't have any real effect on the temperature of the incoming air. I have never encountered a situation where the air could heat up due to the tube temp, the air is moving into the engine at such a high cfm that the enthalpy of the system will not be effected by the surface temperature of the intake tube. I wouldn't recommend one of those condom things for an aem, better to leave the system as is for maximum benefit. There is a reason the kit is one of the most efficient systems for these trucks. The amount of effort involved for a ram air kit would be hindsight compared to the issues you may have with the filter being exposed to road grime, just leave the kit as it is and drive the hell out of it.

Thanks. I wasn't looking at any kind of ram air kit, just wondering if opening up the front a little better would let it breath easier, but the road grime issue you pointed out was a concern, thanks.

So what kind of differences in performance and mpg's did you notice?

 

[boostaholic]

Lots of power (+15hp on the ass-dyno) and almost no difference in mileage. You won't get any mileage from an intake on these trucks, I maybe picked up 10-15 miles per tank but it accelerates quicker and makes way more power especially up top.

 

[withac]

Lots of power (+15hp on the ass-dyno) and almost no difference in mileage. You won't get any mileage from an intake on these trucks, I maybe picked up 10-15 miles per tank but it accelerates quicker and makes way more power especially up top.

Thanks man, that's what I was wondering. I had a 2000 Durango with the 5.9 before the 'Ho, an AirRaid gave me a 2 mpg boost. May not sound like much but at $4 a gallon it adds up. With a 23 gallon tank that's almost 50 more miles per tank.

Still looks like the custom tune is the best first step, but then if/when I add the CAI I'd need a retune, but I guess that's not a biggie since you get free re-tunes from most tuners.

 

[withac]

Lots of power (+15hp on the ass-dyno) and almost no difference in mileage. You won't get any mileage from an intake on these trucks, I maybe picked up 10-15 miles per tank but it accelerates quicker and makes way more power especially up top.

So how much of the lack of an increase in mpg's is because it's so much fun to put your foot in the throttle?

 

[withac]

Thanks Boost, I'm out, have a good one.

 

[boostaholic]

Couldn't tell you, I've been getting 14mpg since the tune and I can't keep my foot out of it until the top of 2nd getting on the interstate. Crazy how fast 90mph comes now.

 

[jpmaniac87]

Ebay has an AEM knock off for $80... I got that and i'm gonna put a true AEM filter on it... seems like the way to go. just my .02